It has been estimated that the rollback would cost about $35 for every $100,000 a home was worth and the county says the rollback will take effect in January.

Taxpayers said they weren't pleased with the deal, saying they were paying money into the pockets of the Bengals' and Reds' owners.

"We're here once again figuring out how to make county residents poor so we can make Mike Brown richer," said voter Jeff Cappell.

The unwelcome price tag is the cost of keeping pro sports in the city thanks to what is widely regarded as a one-sided deal made decades ago to build the two riverside stadiums using sales tax revenue that just hasn't shown up.

Tim Mara led the fight against the deal in 1996.

"We saw it, I can't understand why the commissioners then didn't see it and now we're paying the price literally," Mara said.

Opponents said they are still waiting to see a benefit for the city.

Mara said, for instance, when it comes to the Bengals, "eight to 10 games a year isn't going to be much of a stimulation for the economy."

University of Cincinnati economics professor Benjamin Passty said the move will cost a lot of people only a little bit of many, making the overall economic impact minimal.

He said the benefits come with than just dollars and cents.

"If we can make that agreement marginally more sustainable in order to get the social benefits, the cohesion, and the happiness and the possibility of cheering a team that will compete? That could work out to be a psychological win for people in this area," Passty said.

Mara said he couldn't really criticize the move by county commissioners because he doesn't have a better suggestion for how to pay the bill.

The question still remains as to how taxpayers will react if the same funding gap comes up two years from now and more taxes are levied.